Jeep T18 Winter Project Advice

All, From the title you can see that i am planning a winter project for my CJ5. Vehicle receiving the project is a 1973 Cj5, 258, T14, D20, D30, D44, 30" tires 3.73 R&P. All stock. I picked up from a 1977 CJ5 donner, Bellhousing, Jeep T-18 wide ratio and the D20. I will be rebuilding/freshening the T-18 and installing a tera-low 3.15 gear set in the D20.

Questions are:

1. What Pilot bushing to use? From a 77 with this combo?
2. Do I need spacers to lower the Transmission crossmember? How much
3. Speedometer gear? Just take from the existing D20 in the CJ now?
4. Starter? Will my current starter fit?
5. Transmission to Bellhousing Bolt sizes/grades?
6. Bellhousing to Engine Bolt sizes/grades?
7. Clutch/pressure plate/throw-out bearing? Buy for the 77 with this combo?
8. Twin Sticks? Do I need them? Benefit?
9. Other advice you can offer?

Thanks in advance.

 

30" tire...t18 with tera low is way too much IMO.

Also do you have the tera-low kit ? I have check this spring and they were no longer fabricated by teraflex (they all came from teraflex).

 

I'm basing my answers on my 1971 T-14 to Ford T-18 conversion with a GM engine. There are plenty of variables here so check and double check everything on the floor prior to bolting in the new components.

1. What Pilot bushing to use? From a 77 with this combo? That should be fine. Check engagement on the floor prior to bolting to engine.
2. Do I need spacers to lower the Transmission crossmember? How much You will have to compare your existing arrangement to the new; I needed about 1/4" drop to maintain driveshaft angles.
3. Speedometer gear? Just take from the existing D20 in the CJ now? That should work if you're not changing axle ratio.
4. Starter? Will my current starter fit? If you use the same flywheel, it will fit.
5. Transmission to Bellhousing Bolt sizes/grades? Check your bell for thread size. Grade 5 or grade 8 are fine (plenty of other discussions on that subject).
6. Bellhousing to Engine Bolt sizes/grades? Check your block for thread size. You should be able to reuse same bolts. Grade 5 or grade 8 are fine (plenty of other discussions on that subject). I used bolts included with my Advance Adapters bell.
7. Clutch/pressure plate/throw-out bearing? Buy for the 77 with this combo? Since this was a factory offering, get the parts together. I love all of the Centerforce I components I have with my conversion.
8. Twin Sticks? Do I need them? Benefit? With twin sticks and the interlock defeated, you can select 2WD LOW range, but it's possible to overload the rear drivetrain with too much torque. I don't recommend it, but understand it first and go from there.
9. Other advice you can offer? Double check everything on the floor prior to bolting in the new components, but I already said that. GOOD LUCK and have fun...the T-18 granny tranny is GREAT!!!

 

Since I am running a slightly different set up, I will just say,
I had to lower my crossmember 1" and add 6 deg axle tilt wedges to the rear axle, and eventually added a CV joint to the rear drive shaft.

The twin stick conversion was the best thing I ever did. Over the years it got harder to put it into low range. the twin stick conversion makes it easy all the time. note I did not remove the internal block and it works great for me.

Jay

 

Herm the overdrive guy bought up all the remaining D20 tera-low kits from teraflex. He still has some. Just got mine 2 weeks ago.

 

oh nice, i will email him

thank's

 

Im running a AMC 360 T18 Dana 20 with Tera low and 4/10s TSL LTB 35x12.5 I did the twin stick and modified my shift rails so in theory I cannot have the front in low while the rear is in high. Didn't work. I would just take the pills out of the rails. It is nice to to be able to do a 2 wheel drive low range either front or rear if necessary. You will be happy with the setup.
What gear ratio are you running? If your still running 3.73s your trail speeds will be fine with he tera low kit.

 

thank you. Still running the 3.73’s. Soft locker in the rear, Detroit tru-trac in the front.

 

You must have done something wrong, i made the modification on the shift rail and it work flawless. I still have the interlock pin. I can drive front or rear only on high or low.

 

I apparently overground a shaft. No problem front and rear in low independent. Works like I took the pills out.

johnny boy will like his 3.73s with the Tera low. I ran that setup for two years till my i built my front 44.

 

Been off roading the past 8 years with the a granny t18, stock transfert gearing and 3.73 in the alxe with 36" tsl and it work great. Looking forward the tera low kit for my new engine trans set up (5.3gm/th350) could be helpful. I was going to swap a dana 300 but now that there is tera low kit available i'm will look into it.

 

Hi,
My dad I have a 1973 CJ5 jeep and had a new throw out bearing put in under the impression it had the original engine in it but months later and what sounds like throw out bearing issues again we find out the jeep has a 4.2 liter engine. My question is, do we have the wrong throw out bearing in the Jeep or is it like a universal deal with throw out bearings? Im new to all of this and still learning. This is a project jeep my dad and I are working on since my Mothers passing.

 

Sounds likely you have the correct bearing if it was working for a while. If I was guessing without seeing it I would think your new bearing has probably failed. Quality of new imported parts now days is very poor. Also did you have the free play adj correct?

 

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That is a good question. I will ask my dad today. Thank you

 

Hi, Thank you
My dad and I purchased a 1973 CJ5 Jeep. It is a project jeep. Our 1st one. We live in San Diego

 

Since I started this thread and it has been resurrected, thought I would give an update. Thanks to all the advice and proper planning the swap and Tera-low conversion all went wonderful. I feel with the 30” tires and the remainder of my setup it is absolutely fine. Not to low (could it ever really be?). I did change out the POWERTrax rear locker for an Eaton e-locker. From a driving on the road perspective, that is a much better option. Going to the e-locker allowed the long throw T-18 to shift much faster and smoother on road. I figure it is because the powertrax was always in a state of binding putting pressure upstream There Tera-low is an amazing change. I kept the single stick. One last mod was to add a hand throttle to the shifter lever. Simple and makes driving a stick with a stiff suspension much easier over rocks.

 

Steve - I was wondering what you did for the crossmember? I just picked up a T18/D20 and new bellhousing and plan on doing the swap soon. My 75 is a unicorn of sorts and has an odd crossmember. Did you use the stock one or did you get the larger skid plate from a newer CJ? See attached picture of my crossmember.

 

I used the stock crossmember and skid plate. The crossmember moves back and uses additional holes that should be in your frame. The chalk lines in the pics are where it was with the T14. I also added two additional spacers for driveline angle. The skid plate needs the hole modified to drain the TC. Hope this helps.